James p



I'. P. WILLIAMS.

BUILDING BRICK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I9. I92o.

1,385,96 1 Patnseu July 26, 1921.

GFMQ.

BUILDING-BRICK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1921.

Application filed May 19, 1920. Serial No. 382,534.

To all whom t .may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMES P. Winnaars, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Milton, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Building-Bricks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to building bricks, and has more particular reference to that type thereof known in the trade as air-cell bricks, also otherwise known to the trade as one-handed blocks.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a building brick of cellular form and one which may be conveniently, suc- Icessfully 'and economically manufactured and, when completed, be of the requisite Strength and load-sustaining capacity.

It is a further object within the contemplation of my invention to provide a brick i which, of itself, includes a plurality of air cells and which, in service aggroupment with other bricks of a similar type, provides a plurality of air cells between the bricks; hence, each brick is, of itself, cellularly formed, and Vis of such 'construction that, when combined with other bricks of like construction, forms additional air cells; so that, in service conditions, a brick may, itself, include three longitudinal air cells, and, also, be surrounded by four longitudinal air cells.

The invention has other objects, with resultant advantages, and these will be more or less self-evident from the following description.

In order that the invention may be more readily comprehended, l have lshown the same in the accompanying drawings which, however, are to be understood as merely illustrative of preferred embodiments of the invention, it being manifest that the invention is susceptible of a wide range of modification and variation without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its salient features and underlying principles.

In these drawings:

Figure l is a view in perspective of two of the bricks arranged in end-to-end relation;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical transverse sec tion of three of the bricks aggrouped in a wall in the manner in which they are preferably to be laidl in service conditions; and

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of a modified form of brick.

Referring t0 these drawings, the reference-numeral l designates the brick as an entity and as constituting my improved article of manufacture. As shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of these bricks may be aggrouped for a wall or similar construction, being laid in much the regular way of present-day practice. l

. Each brick, preferably and as shown, includes two load-sustaining portions or side members 2-2, these being, by preference,

V.rectangular in form and having their upper 'surfaces 3 3 and their lower surfaces 1-4l, respectively, lying in common planes. In other words, preferably'and as shown, the upper surfaces 3 ofthe members 2 are disposed in the same horizontal plane, and in this connection it is to be understood that substantially all of these surfaces are in that plane. The lower surfaces 4f are likewise in a common plane; but, of course, one relatively remote from that of the upper surfaces.

Each side member 2 is provided with a longitudinally-extending air cell 5, either square or rectangular in form, though my invention is not limited to the particular form of these air cells. The cells extend throughout the length of the members 2 and, thus, provide an internal air conduit for each member.

Disposed between and spaced from the side members is a longitudinally-extending load-sustaining portion or member 6. Preferably and as shown. this member 6 has its upper surface 7 in the same common horizontal plane as the upper surfaces 3 of the side members 2. rlhe lower surface 8 of the central member 6 is disposed in the common plane of the lower surfaces 4 of the members 2. Thus, it will be noted that the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the two side members 2 and the central member 3 lie in common mortar.

The central member 6 is provided with allongitudinally-extending air cell 9, similar to the air cells 5 in the members 2.

It will now be apparent that the brick includes three load-sustaining members having upper and lower surfaces, respectively lying in common planes, and that the brick also includes these longitudinally-extending air cells for each of the three load-sustaining members. It is to be understood, however, that l may, if desired, increase the number of load-sustaining members or portions from three to four, or five, or even a larger number; and likewise that each member may be provided with a plurality of air cells instead of the single air cell 5, as shown. Y

Horizontal, transverse or cross-webs 10e-1() integrally join the central member 6 to the side members 2. These webs are f a thickness considerably less, preferably, than the dimensions of the cells and 9 of the members 2 and 6. In other words, the upper surfaces l1 and the lower surfaces 12, respectively, of the websr are disposed relatively remote from the common planes Y of the upper and lower surfaces, respectively,

of the members 2 and 6. These surfaces 11 and 12 and the side walls 13 of the members 2 and the side walls 14 of the member 6 constitute open channels 15 and 16. Thus it will be seen that each brick includes four of these longitudinal 16-16; that they occupy a position between the central side members; and that they extend the length of the brick. Of course, if the block includes more than three loadsustaining members, there would be a corresponding increase in the number of the channels.

For wall and similarconstruction work, the bricks are preferably to be superposed one upon another, as shown in Fig. 2, a layer of mortar 17 being laid upon the upper surfaces of the members 2 and 6. As thus agvrouped, the upper channel 15 of one brick and the lower channel 16 of the superposed brick will form a supplemental air cell 18. In consequence, each brick will include, in itself, three longitudinal cellsone in each of the members 2 and 6- and be surrounded by four of the supplemental air cells 18.

The side faces 19 of the bricks are, preferably and as shown, of the dimensions of the regular present-day commercial brick.

The relative dimensions of the upper portion of the member 6 are such as to permit the grasping of the brick by those portions so that they constitute a convenient handhold. Consequently, it is not always required that it shallY beV a load-sustaining member: In Fig. 3, I have illustrated a modified form of the brick, this involving a construction in which the side members 20 constitute load-sustaining portions vof -the brick; lwhereas the central portion, having its upper surface 22 and its llower surface 23,V

respectively, disposed in planes out of alinement withk the lplanes ofthe upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the members 20, constitutes a non-load-sustaining member and only a hand-holding'element. In this instance, the members are provided with air cells 24 and 25, respectively, as shown in Flg. 3.

channels 15-15 and By the construction here provided, when the cement, mortar,l or vother binding instrumentality 17 has been placed between the bricks, the channels between the members will break the mortar joint and, thus, render it impossible for it to carry moisture across the wall.V In other words, the channels constitute mortar-jointbreaks in addition to conveying or holding air and carry off all water that may seep through the binding instrumentality disposed between the superposed members.; that is, they carry off all water that, by capillary action, may have penetrated through the mortar between the proximate outer load-sustaining members.

By reason of the fact that the dimensions of the side members are relatively the same, with the hand-holding member disposed midway between the side members, the brick may be said to be balanced, and this is important in thehandling of the same in building work. i

From the foregoing, it will be perceived that I have devised a novel and convenient type of building structure, and one capable of being economically and conveniently manufactured. Besides, the structure is such that it adapts itself for ready and convenient handling; in'other words, regardless of which side of the brick is up or down,

the central handhold portions afford easy means for grasping it, these portions being the same on both sides ofthe brick. In these days, when bricklayers .and hod carriers wages are so high, the matter. of handling these is an important. factor in the question of constructing buildings.

Y What I Vclaim is:

1. A building-brick comprising side loadsustaining members, hollow throughout their length to provide longitudinal aircells; a central load-sustaining member of approximately the same dimensions as the side members and also rovided with a longitudinally-extending air-cell; there being at least three of such air-cells in the brick; and` solid webs connecting the central loadsustaining member with each of the side members and extending in horizontal planes from the central member approximately midway of its topand bottom portions; the` upper andlower faces of each of the side members being in the same plane; the side members being in balanced relation to the central member; the central member presenting two oppositely-disposed hand-holds, whereby the brick is rendered reversible and adapted to be gripped at either side; and there being between the central member and each side memberV a mortar-joint-breaking Vchannel having right angularly formed walls. y

2. A building-brick comprising side loadsustaining members having their top and A bottom surfaces disposed in a common plane and each formed with an elongated aircell; an intermediate, central member also provided with an elongated air-cell and having its top and bottom faces in the common planes of the side members; connecting webs extending from each side of the central member, approximately midway between its top and bottom faces, and adjoining the side members, the webs being of a thickness considerably less than that of the side members; and longitudinally-extending channels having right angularly-disposed Walls formed between the central and side members and providing a mortar-jointbreaking space; the central member extending above and below the upper and lower planes of the webs to provide two oppositely-disposed hand-holds, whereby the brick is rendered reversible and adapted to be gripped at either side.

3. A building-brick comprising two spaced-apart load-sustaining side members having their upper and lower surfaces, respectively, lying in common planes, a central longitudinal member disposed between and spaced apart from said side members and adapted for the purpose of a handhold; and solid transverse webs connecting the side members to the central member and arranged in a plane intermediate of the planes of the upper and lower surfaces of the side members and forming with the side and central members an integral structure, all parts of the brick being included bef tween the planes of the upper and lower surfaces of the side member; the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the web lying in common planes but different from the common planes of the surfaces of the members; and longitudinallyextending right-angular channels formed by the up-per and lower surfaces of the webs and by the side walls of the members; the central member providing two oppositely-disposed handholds for the brick whereby it is rendered reversible and adapted to be gripped at either side.

4. A building-brick comprising spacedapart load-sustaining side members having their upper and lower surfaces, respectively, lying in common planes; a central load-sustaining member disposed between and spaced from the side members and of approximately the same dimensions, the side and central members being approximately square in cross-section; cross-webs extending between and connecting the central member to the side members and solid and having approximately flat upper and lower surfaces; and longitudinal three-walled channels above and below the cross-webs and adapted to provide a plurality of mortar joint breaks,v

the side and central members each being provided with a longitudinal air cell extending throughout the length of the member and each of said air cells being of larger dimensions than those of the cross-webs; the central member being approximately midway between the side members and constituting hand-holds on opposite sides of the brick in balanced relation to the side members whereby the brick is rendered reversible.

5. A building-brick comprising two rectangular load-sustaining side members having their upper and lower surfaces, respectively, lying in common planes and each provided with a rectangular air cell extending longitudinally of the member; a central load-sustaining member disposed between and spaced from the side members and having its upper and lower surfaces lying in the common planes of the upper and lower surfaces of the side members, and likewise having a rectangular air cell extending longitudinally therethrough, the central member being adapted as a hand-hold at opposite sides of the brick whereby it is reversible for gripping at either side; and solid cross-webs connecting the central member and the side members at their medial portions and having their upper and lower surfaces relatively remote from the common upper and lower surfaces of the members and forming, with the side walls of the central and side members, longitudinal channels having three angularly-disposed sides, each to constitute mortar joint breaks.

6. A wall construction including reversible air-cell bricks, each comprising two spaced-apart load-sustaining side members having their upper and lower surfaces, respectively, lying in common planes; a central load-sustaining member disposed between and spaced from the side members and having its upper and lower surfaces, respectively, lying in the common planes of the upper and lower surfaces of the side members, each of the three members being approximately square in cross-section and provided with a longitudinal air cell; solid cross-webs extending between and connecting the central member with the side members and having their upper and lower surfaces approximately flat and disposed in planes relatively remote from the planes of the upper and lower surfaces of the members, a pair of channels formed at opposite sides of the central member and having angularly-disposed walls, the channels of two of the bricks, when in intimate association, constituting a longitudinal air cell between two of the proximate central members and two of the proximate side members.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAS. P. WILLIAMS. 

